Police praised for “strong commitment”

POLICE in Cheshire have been praised for their strong commitment to  preventing crime and anti-social behaviour and making a difference to the local community.
The praise comes from independent assessors in the latest report by HM Inspector of Constabulary.
The review, the final one to be announced as part of the annual PEEL inspections (into Police Efficiency, Effectiveness and Legitimacy), focuses on how effective a police force is at keeping people safe and reducing crime.
Cheshire Constabulary has been rated as “good” overall – with the force highlighted as “outstanding” for its work in preventing crime and anti-social behaviour and keeping the public of Cheshire safe – one of only three forces to be given this rating for this particular area.
Chief Constable Simon Byrne said: “We see on a daily basis the impact that crime and anti-social behaviour can have on the local community, which is why we are highly committed as a force to doing all we can to ensure it does not happen in the first place.
“This independent review quite rightly acknowledges the fact that this is the highest priority of all officers and staff throughout the Constabulary – and we have been rated as ‘outstanding’ in this particular area.
“The report highlights many areas of success for the Constabulary with particular emphasis on the broad range of tactics we use to prevent crime, how we use specific powers to tackle anti-social behaviour and the important work we do with a wide range of partners to tackle the issues that matter to local people.
“Almost a year ago I launched a clear set of commitments that describe the level of service members of the public should expect from Cheshire Constabulary – one of these focuses on the fact that ‘We’re Here’ to support communities – and this review reinforces the fact that we are delivering on that commitment. Neighbourhood Policing remains a priority in Cheshire.”
Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer said: “Independent inspectors
assessed how effective the force is at preventing and investigating crime and anti-social behaviour, tackling serious and organised crime and protecting victims and those who are vulnerable.
“These are the most important responsibilities for a police force and are the principal measures by which the public will judge the performance of their local force and policing as a whole. I welcome HMIC’s report.
“The first duty of the police is to protect its citizens from harm. Cheshire has been rated as ‘good’ overall but in particular we have been rated as ‘outstanding’ in preventing crime and keeping people safe – once again demonstrating that the plans I have put in place have been effective and are delivering excellent results. Cheshire has a constabulary keeping its communities safe and creating a hostile environment for criminals.
“What matters to the people of Cheshire is the number of police officers on the streets and, as a result of changes implemented, 53 extra officers will have been recruited by April, with an extra 70 being recruited the coming year.”